Dust? Water? On the sensor? Inside the 18-55?

Xcessiv · 03-14-2012, 03:09 PM

I need your help.

Here's a picture from my K-x with the original 18-55mm.

The dust or water is always the same size, always looks out of focus (never well defined), and doesn't seem present with my 55-300 or 50mm, but this could be caused by a different zoom / focus?

The picture is cropped 400% by the way.

Dust? Water? On the sensor? Inside the 18-55?

Thanks,
Yan

Philoslothical · 03-14-2012, 03:28 PM

Take a shot of something bright with the smallest aperture available, maybe f./29 or whatever your lenses support. The dust should look sharper.

It is just sensor dust btw. Looks identical to that in many other threads. Get a good blower, and if that alone doesn't do it, loosen the dust gently with a soft artist's brush, and then blow it out again. This is an issue for everyone with a DSLR, so don't worry too much about it. You'll get used to periodically cleaning it.

Remember that the position of the dust on the sensor is flipped and mirrored from what you see in the pics. So, dust in the upper right of a photo will actually be on the lower left of the sensor. Knowing this helps with using the artist's brush to loosen stubborn bits.

cali92rs · 03-14-2012, 04:07 PM

Sorry for the thread Hijack, but i am just curious. Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors?
I don't have much experience with film, but i would think that the same thing would happen.

Philoslothical · 03-14-2012, 04:29 PM

I doubt it. We're exposing the same sensor day after day, month after month, and continually in some modes like LV and video. Whereas with film, you're exposing a different part of the film (or a different roll entirely) for a much shorter time.

Docrwm · 03-14-2012, 04:48 PM

Philosophical is right. A Rocket Blower is only around $10 and most consider it an essential kit piece of gear.

Alizarine · 03-15-2012, 09:41 AM

Most probably dust. If it were water, something else may have already gone bad inside your camera... I second the abovementioned suggestions in cleaning~

Northern Soul · 03-15-2012, 09:44 AM

Originally posted by cali92rs

Sorry for the thread Hijack, but i am just curious. Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors?
I don't have much experience with film, but i would think that the same thing would happen.

Sometimes you got a lovely line or lines across all the negatives and prints from a roll - a sure sign that there was a bit of grit or sand in your camera.

bikecoboss · 03-15-2012, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by cali92rs

Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors?

In-camera dust isn't a big deal with film but dust becomes a huge issue when making prints, when dust on the negative is enlarged and shows up as white blobs. If you think the cloning tool is a drag, try spending hours with a tiny paint brush trying to clean up a print (that's why many scan and print digitally now).

03-14-2012, 03:09 PM	#1
Xcessiv New Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 13	Dust? Water? On the sensor? Inside the 18-55? I need your help. Here's a picture from my K-x with the original 18-55mm. The dust or water is always the same size, always looks out of focus (never well defined), and doesn't seem present with my 55-300 or 50mm, but this could be caused by a different zoom / focus? The picture is cropped 400% by the way. Dust? Water? On the sensor? Inside the 18-55? Thanks, Yan

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03-14-2012, 03:28 PM	#2
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Take a shot of something bright with the smallest aperture available, maybe f./29 or whatever your lenses support. The dust should look sharper. It is just sensor dust btw. Looks identical to that in many other threads. Get a good blower, and if that alone doesn't do it, loosen the dust gently with a soft artist's brush, and then blow it out again. This is an issue for everyone with a DSLR, so don't worry too much about it. You'll get used to periodically cleaning it. Remember that the position of the dust on the sensor is flipped and mirrored from what you see in the pics. So, dust in the upper right of a photo will actually be on the lower left of the sensor. Knowing this helps with using the artist's brush to loosen stubborn bits.

03-14-2012, 04:07 PM	#3
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Sorry for the thread Hijack, but i am just curious. Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors? I don't have much experience with film, but i would think that the same thing would happen.

03-14-2012, 04:29 PM	#4
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	I doubt it. We're exposing the same sensor day after day, month after month, and continually in some modes like LV and video. Whereas with film, you're exposing a different part of the film (or a different roll entirely) for a much shorter time.

03-14-2012, 04:48 PM	#5
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Philosophical is right. A Rocket Blower is only around $10 and most consider it an essential kit piece of gear.

03-15-2012, 09:41 AM	#6
Alizarine Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manila Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,185	Most probably dust. If it were water, something else may have already gone bad inside your camera... I second the abovementioned suggestions in cleaning~

03-15-2012, 09:44 AM	#7
Northern Soul Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The North of England Photos: Albums Posts: 494	Originally posted by cali92rs Sorry for the thread Hijack, but i am just curious. Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors? I don't have much experience with film, but i would think that the same thing would happen. Sometimes you got a lovely line or lines across all the negatives and prints from a roll - a sure sign that there was a bit of grit or sand in your camera.

03-15-2012, 10:24 AM	#8
bikecoboss Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Pemberton BC Posts: 238	Originally posted by cali92rs Was dust collecting on film as much of a problem (nuisance) as it is on sensors? In-camera dust isn't a big deal with film but dust becomes a huge issue when making prints, when dust on the negative is enlarged and shows up as white blobs. If you think the cloning tool is a drag, try spending hours with a tiny paint brush trying to clean up a print (that's why many scan and print digitally now).